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The news reports have shocked us all. A gunman walks into a store and opens fire on customers and associates. “Flash-mob robbers” target stores and ransack malls. Organized Retail Crime (ORC) rings post videos brazenly documenting their criminal activity as they steal thousands of dollars of merchandise, damage property, and shatter a sense of safety and security in local communities.
I’m someone who literally grew up in retail — I went to work with my dad at his paint and hardware store as a child and later spent more than 25 years in the field and senior store operations for major retailers before joining MOHR Retail to serve the industry with talent development, coaching, and training solutions.
So many of the events that have transpired across the country in recent months have stuck with me. They underscore the real risks and challenges today’s retailers and their associates are facing amid a rise in gun violence, Organized Retail Crime (ORC), and theft, as well as the workplace stress and mental health issues that accompany these incidents. With staffing shortages, burnout, and turnover increasing, these issues are making it even harder to recruit, hire, and retain associates and leaders — and that only makes things more difficult for your staff and for your customers.
These are big challenges, and retailers can’t solve all of them on their own, but there are some action steps and best practices that will help keep team members and customers safe while also helping to reduce losses due to theft.
We recently gathered a panel of industry experts to discuss the issue, its prevalence, and impact, and to share strategies that will support a safer, healthier, and more productive retail environment. You can read some highlights of the key takeaways from that discussion, and I encourage you to download the full paper here for actionable ideas you can apply immediately.
A special thank you to all of our panelists for their insightful commentary and valuable advice:
- Leorn Chatman, Senior Manager, Loss Prevention, Westlake Ace Hardware
- JD Dillon, Chief Learning Architect, Axonify, a technology provider that offers training and communication tools for frontline retail associates
- Paul Jones, Director, Executive Board Member, Loss Prevention Foundation
- Mike Limauro, Vice President, Global Asset Protection, Whole Foods Market
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